Retirement Plans

SICA's primary pension plan is the Retirement Income Plan for Selective Insurance Company of America (the “Pension Plan”). SICA also sponsors the Supplemental Excess Retirement Plan (the “Excess Plan”) and a life insurance benefit plan. All plans are closed to new entrants and benefits ceased accruing under the Pension Plan and the Excess Plan after March 31, 2016. For more information concerning SICA's retirement plans, refer to Note 14. “Retirement Plans” in Item 8. “Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.” of our 2016 Annual Report.

The following tables provide information regarding the Pension Plan:



	Pension Plan					Pension Plan
	Quarter ended September 30,					Nine Months ended September 30,
($ in thousands)	2017			2016		2017		2016
Net Periodic Benefit Cost:
Service cost	$	—		41		—		1,647
Interest cost	3,111			3,049		9,332		9,252
Expected return on plan assets	(4,854		)	(5,006	)	(14,563	)	(12,982	)
Amortization of unrecognized net actuarial loss	481			1,763		1,444		4,724
Total net periodic (benefit) cost	$	(1,262	)	(153	)	(3,787	)	2,641



	Pension Plan
	Nine Months ended September 30,
	2017		2016
Weighted-Average Expense Assumptions:
Discount rate	4.41	%	4.69	%
Effective interest rate for calculation of service cost	n/a		4.89
Effective interest rate for calculation of interest cost	3.83		4.02
Expected return on plan assets	6.24		6.37
Rate of compensation increase	n/a		n/a